Gaddi (Muslim traditions) in Pakistan


Population
Main Language
Largest Religion
Christian
Evangelical
Progress
Progress Gauge
* Data can be from various sources including official census, agencies, and local research. Data from these sources can sometimes differ even by orders of magnitude. Joshua Project attempts to present a conservative, balanced estimate.

Introduction / History

The name Gaddi is derived from the word "gaderan," the local name for the hilly tracts of Himachal Pradesh. They usually live in hilly or mountainous places with their livestock, so their population is higher in northern India than it is in the relatively flat Pakistani provinces of Punjab and Sindh. A small number live in Nepal. They are a Scheduled Tribe, which means they have low status. The Gaddi origin is shrouded in legends, but they probably moved to their current locations to escape the Moghal Empire.


What Are Their Lives Like?

Many make their living by sheep raising and farming. Women take part in agriculture and animal husbandry and contribute to the family income. Each household consists of a nuclear family. Houses are generally two or three stories, with balconies and paved courtyards. The ground floor is used for keeping cattle, while the second story is used for living, sleeping and cooking. Gaddi women have much more equality than do most other Muslim communities. They sometimes earn money, do the time-honored work of turning milk into yoghurt and ghee and participate in Islamic rituals. They pray at home rather than the mosque. They have their own folk songs and folk tales. Their village councils make decisions for their communities.


What Are Their Beliefs?

The Gaddi follow Muslim or Hindu traditions, although they have their own animistic traditions whether they are Hindu or Muslim. The Muslim Gaddi believe that the One, Supreme God, Allah, spoke through his prophet, Mohammed, and taught mankind how to live a righteous life through the Koran and the Hadith. To live a righteous life, you must utter the Shahada (a statement of faith), pray five times a day facing Mecca, fast from sunup to sundown during the month of Ramadan, give alms to the poor, and make a pilgrimage to Mecca if you have the means. They gather for corporate prayer on Friday afternoons at a mosque, their place of worship. Gaddi Muslims are noted for their respect for Muslim saints. They go to the tombs of these saints, leave money or some other offering, and expect their prayers will be answered.


What Are Their Needs?

The Muslim Gaddi people need the opportunity to know the God who created all the beauty they see around them.


Prayer Points

Pray for workers to go to the Gaddi people in Pakistan. Pray for Gaddi family leaders to open the door for gospel workers in their communities. Pray for spiritual openness among the Gaddi people. Pray for a movement to Christ that will bless all Gaddi communities in Nepal, India and Pakistan.


Scripture Prayers for the Gaddi (Muslim traditions) in Pakistan.


References

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaddis
https://peoplegroupsindia.com/profiles/gaddi/
https://www.livemint.com/Leisure/Wzkj0Wad8pumyLNu5nkfGK/A-journey-with-Gaddi-pastoralists.html
https://www.indianmirror.com/tribes/gadditribe.html


Profile Source:   Joshua Project  

People Name General Gaddi (Muslim traditions)
People Name in Country Gaddi (Muslim traditions)
Pronunciation GUT-dee
Alternate Names Gadolli; Goala; Pahari Bharmauri; Rathi; गद्दी
Population this Country 52,000
Population all Countries 542,000
Total Countries 3
Indigenous Yes
Progress Scale 1
Unreached Yes
Frontier People Group Yes
Pioneer Workers Needed 1
PeopleID3 16770
ROP3 Code 112023
Country Pakistan
Region Asia, South
Continent Asia
10/40 Window Yes
National Bible Society Website
Persecution Rank 7  (Open Doors top 50 rank, 1 = highest persecution ranking)
Location in Country Sindh Province   Source:  Joshua Project
Total States on file 5
Largest States
Sindh
21,000
Punjab
20,000
Gilgit-Baltistan
11,000
Islamabad
100
Balochistan
40
Country Pakistan
Region Asia, South
Continent Asia
10/40 Window Yes
National Bible Society Website
Persecution Rank 7  (Open Doors top 50 rank, 1 = highest persecution ranking)
Location in Country Sindh Province.   Source:  Joshua Project
Total States 5
  Sindh 21,000
  Punjab 20,000
  Gilgit-Baltistan 11,000
  Islamabad 100
  Balochistan 40
Website South Asia Peoples
Primary Religion: Islam
Major Religion Percent *
Buddhism
0.00 %
Christianity  (Evangelical 0.00 %)
0.00 %
Ethnic Religions
0.00 %
Hinduism
0.00 %
Islam
100.00 %
Non-Religious
0.00 %
Other / Small
0.00 %
Unknown
0.00 %
* From latest Pakistan census data.
Current Christian values may substantially differ.
Primary Language Saraiki (8,400 speakers)
Language Code skr   Ethnologue Listing
Language Written Yes   ScriptSource Listing
Total Languages 13
Secondary Languages
Urdu
8,400
Punjabi, Western
7,700
Sindhi
7,700
Gujari
6,800
Shina
6,300
Hindko, Northern
3,300
Dhatki
500
Marwari (Pakistan)
400
Hindko, Southern
200
Kashmiri
200
Pahari-Potwari
200
Balochi, Eastern
40
Primary Language Saraiki (8,400 speakers)
Language Code skr   Ethnologue Listing
Total Languages 13
Secondary Languages
  Urdu 8,400
  Punjabi, Western 7,700
  Sindhi 7,700
  Gujari 6,800
  Shina 6,300
  Hindko, Northern 3,300
  Dhatki 500
  Marwari (Pakistan) 400
  Hindko, Southern 200
  Kashmiri 200
  Pahari-Potwari 200
  Balochi, Eastern 40
People Groups Speaking Saraiki
Photo Source Rajesh Balouria - Pixabay 
Map Source People Group data: Omid. Map geography: UNESCO / GMI. Map Design: Joshua Project.  
Profile Source Joshua Project 
Data Sources Data is compiled from various sources. Learn more.


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